Your information security career and the job market: Value of information security skills

Working as an information security recruiter and career advisor, many of my conversations begin with the question, “How is the market?” While the question at face value appears to be simple, the answer is complex, and greatly dependent on variables uniquely associated with the individual. Information security professionals possess many different skill combinations. Some refer to themselves as generalists, having broad knowledge that includes technical, organizational and management skills. Others categorize themselves as specialists or subject matter experts who have deep expertise in a discipline such as penetration testing, network security, application security or forensics. Just as there are a variety of skills profiles, there are a variety of markets for these individuals and their information security career. These markets are driven by two external factors: broader-based technology trends, and locally based corporate and industry trends. Broader market trends for information security professionals often involve the ...